Tallon Griekspoor and Jannik Sinner know each other inside out. © APA/afp / LLUIS GENE

Jannik Sinner faces a tricky test

On Tuesday afternoon, Jannik Sinner will start the grass court season as the new number one in the tennis world. He will be facing an opponent who could hardly be more uncomfortable.

June 17, 2024

From: fop

For the first time, starting a tournament as the world number one, for the first time this year on a green surface, for the first time he will be making it to the final in Halle/Westphalia and at the end he will be celebrating his first grass tournament victory. There is only one thing that has become routine for Jannik Sinner: his opponent.

Including the Davis Cup, the 22-year-old South Tyrolean will be facing Tallon Griekspoor from the Netherlands for the fifth time; the two have already faced each other twice this year alone. Sinner may have a clean record in direct comparison with the world number 27, but the hard-fought three-set victory at the Masters tournament in Miami this spring should serve as a warning to him.

Griekspoor is also considered a proven grass specialist, which makes the whole thing really tricky. Sinner has shown slight difficulties in adapting from clay to grass in the past, and failed in the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 tournament in Halle last year. However, he subsequently showed that he can also be extremely dangerous on fast surfaces by reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon.

The next opponent is already waiting

Now Sinner wants to take the first successful step into the grass season in Halle. The encounter with Griekspoor is scheduled for Tuesday as the second match on the Center Court and should start at around 14 p.m. In the round of 45, Sinner would meet the Hungarian Fabian Marozsan (ATP 40), who won his opening match against the Russian Roman Safiullin (11) in three sets. Sinner's further path to the final could include duels with Stefanos Tsitsipas (5) and Daniil Medvedev (XNUMX).